Chaozhou Guangji Bridge There is a saying in the Guangdong area, "Eat in Guangzhou, taste in Chaoshan", which shows the status of Chaoshan cuisine in Cantonese cuisine.

Chaoshan area is surrounded by mountains and sea and is rich in natural products.

Whether it is seafood, chicken, duck, goose, pig, beef or sheep, all kinds of ingredients are available.

Chaoshan cuisine pays attention to the use of seasonings and cooking techniques to stimulate the freshness of the ingredients, with salty and fresh flavors being the main focus.

For example, the very famous fish rice is made by simply boiling fresh sea fish with sea salt. After cooking, let it cool and then eat it. It is original, very sweet and delicious.

When it comes to delicacies that represent the taste of Chaoshan, every Chaoshan person has his or her own ranking list.

I personally think that the following five delicacies best represent the taste of Chaoshan. Let’s see if you have tried them?

Braised geese can be found everywhere in the Chaoshan area, with Chenghai lion-headed geese being the most famous.

Generally speaking, braised goose needs to be made from old geese that have been raised for about three years. The whole goose is put into the stewed soup and braised for about an hour and a half.

This braised soup is made with soy sauce, rock sugar, cinnamon, Amomum villosum, cardamom, star anise, galangal, rice wine, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, etc. Each chef has his or her own version.

The Shantou area also holds a "big goose race" event every year during Mazu's birthday in March of the lunar calendar. Each family puts the stewed fat goose on the table and competes with each other to see whose goose is bigger and fatter. This is also a sign of sustenance.

Thoughts and hopes for the family members who go to sea to make a living and the wanderers who go out.

Pig's trotter rice originates from Longjiang Town, Huilai County, Jieyang City. It is a very delicious home-cooked delicacy.

Although pig's trotter rice originated in Longjiang Town, it became famous in the Pearl River Delta regions such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

During the period of rapid development in the Pearl River Delta region around 2000, some Huilai compatriots came to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other developed cities to open pig's trotter restaurants to make a living.

Because of its deliciousness, cheapness and filling, pig's trotter rice quickly gained a foothold in the Pearl River Delta region and became famous, so much so that it is still said that there are "endless urban villages to live in and endless food to eat" in Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Pig's feet rice".

When many people mention Chaoshan cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is Chaoshan beef balls and beef hot pot.

Beef hotpot began to appear and develop in the 1940s. After decades of development, Chaoshan beef hotpot is now very professional. The various parts of beef are clearly divided; how long should the meat be boiled to achieve the best taste?

It's also accurate to the second.

And helping to bring beef balls is a task that these Chaoshan people who are developing outside will get before the holidays every year.

Good beef balls are made from fresh beef shank. After removing the fascia, they are crushed with a machine, then special seasonings are added, and then the balls are squeezed into water of a specific temperature to form.

The beef balls made in this way have a chewy texture, are juicy and full of meaty flavor.

Chaoshan sugar cakes are generally used on weddings, childbirth, adult ceremonies and other festive occasions. They are also occasionally bought to go with Gongfu tea.

There are many types of Chaoshan sugar cakes, the more famous ones include Huilai’s mung bean cake, Shantou area’s sugar scallion pancakes, etc.

Sugar Scallion Pancakes Sugar Scallion Pancakes Chaoshan sugar cakes have followed the ancient method since their birth, and have not changed much. Even the outer packaging is very antique and has Chaoshan local characteristics.

Although the new generation of children who have grown up, including most of the post-90s generation, are not very interested in the sugar cakes of Chaoshan hometown, and the number of people who make them is decreasing day by day, they still hope that this festive and sweet delicacy can be continued and carried forward.

.

In my opinion, bean paste is definitely one of the most representative seasonings of Chaoshan flavor.

The bean paste here of course refers to Puning bean paste, which is originated from Hongyang Town, Puning. It is made from high-quality soybeans, adding seasonings such as flour and salt, and is made through natural fermentation and sun-drying processes.

This kind of bean paste is very versatile, and there are almost no dishes in the Chaoshan area that it cannot be added to.

For example, it can be added to stir-fried vegetables, baked chicken, and fried fish.